http://goairforcefalcons.cstv.com/sports/c-xc/spec-rel/050407aab.html
Who will take his place?
Who will take his place?
Doesn't look like that's been announced just yet.
Another opening wrote:
http://goairforcefalcons.cstv.com/sports/c-xc/spec-rel/050407aab.htmlWho will take his place?
Stanforth was a stand-up guy. Class act. His coaching helped to create some fast runners as well.
He will be hard to replace.
I could see Jay Johnson going in there.
They've got nice resources on the campus, but they're in a crap conference in terms of exposure to competition and Bowl and NCAA Tourney money and not as easy to recruit to as schools in the majors (Pac 10, SEC, Big 10, etc.) Good resources but some unique restrictions (military life & service commitment) as well. Hopefully the new coach, whoever he is, will start sending the A teams to the Shootout.
Some of the best coaches in the country, both prep and collegiate, live and coach in Colorado. It will be interesting to see if any of these go after the position, and it will be interesting to see what criteria the AFA has for Stanforth's replacement. If their handling of the DeBerry and Bzdelik replacements is any indication, however, everything will be played very close to the vest and nobody will really know what they're looking for (except, perhaps, a specific person they already have in mind). It's probably expected, though, that the replacement has a solid plan for upgrading the women's program. It would not surprise me at all if they are casting about for a female coach to replace Stanforth (though that sort of thing--even if it turns out to be true--would only be stated in private).
Coaching at the AFA is almost certainly a unique kind of situation. Some good, some bad. On the whole, though, I'd think the disciplined sort of life expected there lends itself well to distance running. You'd certainly end up with a team loaded with more Jim Ryun personality types than Steve Prefontaine personality types, however.
Anyone who knew Mark Stanforth will miss him. Class act. One of the all-time nice guys and very pleasant to be around. Unfailingly funny. Solid coach. Not the sort of person you'd choose to see dropping from the coaching ranks.